Chris Humphreys – USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers traded for Roy Hibbert this past offseason, as they were looking to strengthen their defense and hoping that Hibbert could regain the form that made him one of the top defenders in the league.
He is on an expiring contract, and the team could choose to let him go this offseason. He has not had much of an impact so far this year, although he hasn’t gotten much help either. Hibbert’s value might not be very high right now, but teams can always use a rim-protecting center in the playoffs.
Hibbert is still altering shots at the rim, but players are having no problems getting into the paint and there is only so much that he can do. The Lakers as a team are playing extremely poor on defense, and one player will not be able to solve it. They just do not have the players around him to form an above-average defense, as opponents regularly go off against them.
Offensively, Hibbert still does not contribute much, but the organization probably knew this before trading him. He has a soft touch on his outside shot, and is actually pretty good at the free-throw line. However, he is only shooting 44 percent from the field which isn’t good enough, especially from his position. He also struggles to dominate the glass, despite his size advantage over a majority of players.
Even with the season going the way it is, the Lakers need to do their best to see if there are options out there for trading Hibbert. Teams are always looking for ways to clear cap space for the offseason, and Hibbert represents an interesting situation. He can help a contender who needs a defensive big man for the playoffs, but if they are not satisfied with his play, then they can let him walk in the summer.
The Lakers do not have many future assets right now, so almost anything at this point would help out.
